Scarlet 26

Scarlet 26

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Commissioned by Sivantic

Wordcount: 2500

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Normal humans would’ve been disturbed by the return trip through the hallways of the facility. My way of fighting resulted in gruesome injuries upon my opponents.

As long as they die quickly, how they die doesn’t matter.

I wasn’t as flippant with life as Ddraig was, but I agreed with him somewhat. I’d consigned myself to killing my opponents, since they were out to kill me and I couldn’t afford to hold back against them. I put shots into their heads and chests to kill them and brought my hammer upon them without hesitation.

If they survived, I made sure that they didn’t.

But a normal human would’ve been caught by surprise by the hallway.

The Devils… were impressed.

They weren’t vocal about it and they didn’t enjoy the sight of all the dead, ravaged bodies, but I could tell that each and every one of them were looking at me with greater respect.

Almost too much respect, in Akeno’s case, since she was fidgeting and glancing at me while biting her lip in the middle of a battle.

They made no comment as we sped through the aftermath of my battles. We ran towards where the children were being kept with the intent of reaching it as quickly as possible. If not for my past life, I would’ve missed the change in the looks directed my way.

Before they respected me and valued me for what I did… but now there wonder and trepidation in their gazes.

No matter how small it was, I could tell that all four of the Devils present were afraid of me.

And, I agreed with Ddraig’s thoughts on the matter.

That it was a good thing.

Of course. Dragons are meant to be feared. Respect, honor, and value are fine things, but fear gets the best results. It means they’ve acknowledged your strength and power and will let you leverage it properly.

There was a lot more to the situation than power dynamics, but I left it at that for now.

The facility still held enemies who had children under their control. In my past world, my actions would’ve gotten me kicked out of any rescue party. Neither villains nor heroes would’ve been willing to assist me after what they saw, especially if they were the kind of parahuman to go out and rescue children.

I almost wanted them to disassociate themselves from me, since I knew that I’d operate more quickly without them, but I discarded that idea and wracked my brain for a plan to use once we reached Quarta and Irina.

It’s been a long time since I commanded anyone in battle, so I devoted what brainpower I could spare planning.

Worrying about how pleased I was to be feared had to be for later.

…

Irina and Quarta left destruction and death in their wake. Just like the Exorcists that first engaged us, the ones within the facility were nothing compared to them. A few of the bodies were wielding swords of Light, meaning they tried to engage the two Holy Sword users in melee. Most of them were bisected cleanly, despite their incredible toughness compared to the average human, and those who had guns were pierced through vital areas.

They fought differently without me present, probably because they didn’t want to risk me dying, but most likely because they didn’t want to reveal their tactics when they worked together.

It could be both.

I agreed with Ddraig just as we reached a large, armored door, through which the sound of fighting was obvious.

Thankfully, I had enough experience with magic that I was able to stop my followers from touching the door.

It smelled of Light Magic.

“Stop! The door’s protected against Devils!” They stopped at my words and I considered the situation. There was a battle on the other side. The constant clash of metal against metal resounded from within along with faint battle cries. I heard Quarta and Irina a few times, but their voices were drowned by the constant laughter of another, who I presumed was their opponent. They weren’t winning, which meant that they were struggling, therefore it was time. “I’m going to blow through it!”

Take everything from them, Taylor!

Ddraig’s voice turned into a bestial roar that shook my entire being. Power flooded through and I felt like some sort of emptiness within me filled. My senses sharpened, my breathing became easier, and everything suddenly felt more right, while power coursed through my veins. It was unlike the last time I called upon all of Ddraig’s power. The difference was that I wasn’t as much of a dragon then as I was now.

Slowly, but surely, it was becoming more normal for me to think, act, and be a Dragon… but again that was an issue that I had to explore later.

The power doubled once, then twice, thrice, and then four times before I cut it off and called upon Scale Mail.

I had another few Boosts to go through, but now I was working off a stage that I could fight the longest, even with Scale Mail functional.

With it activated, I reared my fist back and drove it into the armored, protected double-doors between me and the enemy.

I didn’t break the massive, sliding entry way, but instead went through it as I followed through with my fist. Even with all the power I had, I made sure to aim at the weakest point of the door, where they joined together, and punched through the layers of armor and protection like a bullet surging out of a rifle. Metal broke and separated before my punch with an all-encompassing screeching sound as I unmade it with a single, thrown punch.

I didn’t like what I found on the other side.

Bastard.

Some sort of cross stood in the middle of the room and its magic was linked to an artifact on Quarta and Irina’s opponent.

Valper Galilei had a smaller version of the large artifact on his chest.

Presumably taking some sort of power from the children seated and suffering at its base, so that he could use two Excaliburs at once and hold his own against both Irina and Quarta.

My first instinct, upon seeing him, was to take my hammer and throw it at him with all my strength.

My weapon flew straight and collided with his side in a hit that would’ve liquified a Fallen Angel.

But without even a glance, he cut through it and sent it flying past him in two halves, before looking at my arrival with massive, gleeful smile.

“Ah, the man of the hour! Issei Hyoudou, the user of the Longinus: Boosted Gear!” I took shards of metal from my entrance and threw it at him, while ripping off a large chunk from the blown-out entryway I created and used it a shield. I charged forward after an underhand throw several shards of metal. The projectiles sped forward like they were shot out of a cannon, but he batted them all aside… and evaded my armored fist before it crushed his skull. “Please… allow me to test these fine blades upon armor said to be as strong as dragon’s hide!”

The man’s eyes were crazed as he swung both swords at me at once.

I was prepared to take a glancing hit, while taking the other one the shield I’d made, only to find myself kicked out of the way by Quarta from their path.

She didn’t say a word, but I got the message: don’t get hit.

Those puny things can’t hurt me, but you’re not nearly as strong as me, yet! Be careful, Taylor!

I took that into account and jumped back to find something to use to my advantage… only for the four Devils present to make their appearance.

Akeno’s lightning surged forward and elicited a frown from Galilei. He brandished one of his Holy Swords and somehow caught the lightning just as it was about to hit him… only for both Koneko and Kiba to slip under his guard, while his other sword was busy fending off Quarta and Irina.

Kiba’s almost reached him, but it was suddenly broken with the sound of metal on metal, while Koneko pulled her hand back just as a speeding projectile almost reached her.

The same projectile parried the spear used by Tsubaki as she descended upon him from above.

It was most likely the missing Excalibur, which was Excalibur Mimic.

“Gahahah! I am the first wielder of three Holy Swords! I am unstoppable!” The Bishop laughed and charged. The Devils were quick to retreat against the oncoming attack. Galilei’s attacks were incredibly effective against them, so it was better that they didn’t risk their lives. “Come! Dogs of the Church! Devils! Longinus Users! I’ll kill you all no matter what!”

Quarta and Irina held him back, but I could tell that he was gaining momentum and becoming more capable with his weapons as time passed.

Something needed to change quickly, before one of the Devils took a blow that they couldn’t survive.

My eyes drifted over the Kiba, as his eyes were set with rage against Galilei for reasons that I couldn’t currently bring to mind, and I yelled at him.

“Use a Holy Sword! A normal one for me!” I barked the orders his way. Anger was something that could cloud one’s mind, but with enough training orders could get through. I put the more important order in the front, just in case, but I was pleasantly surprised as a blade spun through the air towards me. “Keep the pressure on him! I’ll do something about the artifact!”

Both Quarta and Irina were dueling against Galilei and it was unlikely the Devils could approach the cross-shaped artifact channeling holy power. Therefore, as the only normal human present, I charged towards it and the children confined at its base.

Some part of me considered the situation and a terrible thought crossed my mind, but I stamped it down with a grunt.

I wasn’t going to sacrifice one of them to save the rest.

Not unless it was impossible to save them otherwise.

The others attacked Galilei with all the strength they could muster. Quarta went as far as pulling another Holy Sword and using it with the Excalibur that she had, while everyone else intensified their attacks.

They were buying time for me to make sense of the artifact giving Galilei power… and I wasn’t going to waste any time.

I leapt over the crying, suffering children and aimed the sword at the cross that they were chained to.

In a fraction of a second, the sword in my grip suddenly broke, a massive burst of pain erupted across my abdomen, and I was thrown back.

I caught myself on the ground, my armored fingers gauging and cracking concrete, while pain shot up from my side.

A chunk of my side was missing and blood was pouring out of it.

An invisible sword, covered in blood lazily orbited the cross sapping strength from children.

Thankfully, even though it was a shocking reveal, I was used enough to pain to take hold of the situation before it caused any trouble.

“Another sword! It’s protecting the artifact!” A worried glance, maybe two, was sent my way. Some of them saw my armor fail and get hit, but I dissuaded any fear by gritting my teeth, standing, and summoning my strength. I withstood the pain, like I always did, and used it to force myself to come up with a plan. “Koneko, I need you!”

I trained with her before the Rating Game and she was the one I was most suited to fighting with.

Her golden eyes widened when she saw the full extent of my wound, the chunk carved out of my left side, but I moved forward and acted before she could say a word.

“I’m going to use all of my Boosts and increase my defense. I’m going to catch or break that sword, while you hit that thing with everything you have.” I charged forward and Koneko followed out instinct. Blood and pain both flowed freely, until I called upon Ddraig’s power. The heady sensation of overwhelming might triggered something within me. Something that drove away the pain and stoked the frustration within it into a raging anger. Trickery was used to injure. I didn’t like it one bit. “I’m giving you a Boost. Use it.”

I didn’t give the Nekomata time to refuse. I gave her power, felt the last of Ddraig’s power that I could withstand fill me up, and leap towards the artifact once again.

I soared over the children as time seemed to crawl while a roar of rage left my lips and filled my ears.

The invisible sword, still covered in my blood, swung towards me with greater speed than it had before… but I was sixteen times stronger, faster, and tougher than I was before it hit me.

It’s edge collided with my armored palm and cut through armor and flesh only to stop at bone and be captured by my clenched fist.

My free hand curled into a bludgeon and struck at its side a moment later.

It was a Holy Sword, but it had been broken before, so I put everything behind that singular strike in the hopes of doing it again.

My armored fist crashed into where the blade met handle… and cracks formed along the blade’s length.

It tried to leave my grip in my left hand, going up and trying to slice through my armored fingers, but it did so too late.

My next hit was already raging towards it… and breaking it apart.

It broke in my grasp, just as Koneko’s Boosted fist collided with the artifact’s center and broke through it.

Suddenly, an immense sensation of fatigue fell upon me, and I realized that my time limit with Scale Mail was truly expended.

The all-encompassing fatigue wiped away even pain as it crept over me, as I fell back with half a broken sword in my left hand to be caught by Koneko.

In the edges of my senses, I heard Valper cry out in pain and fear and sorrow, but I heard something else far more precious as my body forced me to rest and recuperate.

The children were still crying… but they were now struggling and trying to get out of their chains.

I might’ve been hurt, but if that was the result… then it was worth it.

You did good, Taylor. Real good.